Counting or registering apparatus for machine guns



Dec. 27, 1927.

R. C. COUPLAND COUNTING 0R REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed Aug.

gnoenl'o'c Ian [I Emu GUT- neq tions radially compressed by the outer inem- Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,653,698 PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD O. COUPLAND, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

COUNTING on ,nnelsrnnme'arrnna'rus Ion MACHINE eons. I

Application filed August 21, 1925. Serial No. 51,586.

In operating machine guns especiallyof the aircraft type where the rate of fire 1s inordinately rapid, it is desirable that the gunner may constantly know the number of rounds tired or the number of rounds remaining in the magazine By reason of the restricted space imposed by the characteristics of the plane and the mounting of the guns only a limited supply vof ammunition may be carried which must be placed into belts, strips or magazines containing a relatively small number of rounds. Since continuous feed of the total available ammunition supply is impractical it is of vital importance to the gunner to readily know the number. of rounds remaining in the loaded belt or magazine so that he may avoid the danger'of commencing an engagement with a depleted'belt and the loss of time in changing or renewing belts when in the midst of combat. p

The object ofthe present invention'is to provide machine guns with a reliable automatic counting or registering apparatus and 26 in accordance therewiththe feed mechanism is connected with a registeror counter for indicating either or both the number of maining in the loaded belt.

A further object of the invention is the provision-of a counter 'or register. having a frictional .driven indicator, the, frictional drive comprising a pair of split inter-fitting members, one extending within the other-so that the inner member is provided with porber which extends around it. Such a frictional drive has been found'to be far more satisfactory and" dependable than the previously used disc clutches in registering devices.

To these and other ends, myinvention consists in theconstr'uction, arrangement, and combination of elements, described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims forming a partof this specification. A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying draw-.

' 'ings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevationof a ma chine g-u'n cover equipped with a registering apparatus constructed-1n accordance with the invention, the belt feed slidepf the gun being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional viewthrough the feed passage-of the cover, thethe front and rear wall of the casing the pointer. member 23.

registering apparatus being shown in elevatlon;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of F 1g. 4';

Fig. 4 'is-a sectional view on the line H of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on-th'e' line 5- -5 of Fig. 4.

Referring ,to the drawings by numerals and characters of reference: 1

g 'A register ng apparatus or counter A is mounted over an opening B m the cover'C of a machine gun above the feed passage D. A belt feed slide E of conventional type is reciprocated by the usual lever F which is actuated by the bolt in recoil and counter recoil ina well known manner.

The register consists of a casing 6 having its under side partially closed by a plate 7 and is secured by screws 8 to the cover 0. Disposed longitudinally in the lower central portion of the casing is a drive shaft 9 mounted on stubs 10 which are journaled in I where theyare held bya spring'll house in the drive shaft; The drive shaft is provided with a spiral gear or worm 12 and a ratchet ,wheel 13 which is held against reverse movemanner as the drive shaft 9. A spring 16 wrapped about the spindle and having ends bearing against the casing and the catchforces the catch into engagement with the ratchet.

Loosely mounted .on the drive shaft 9 adjacent the ratchet is a lever 17 depending.

through the. cover with its free end inserted in anaperture 18 in the feed slide so that it will be-oscillated as the slide is moved in operation of. the gun. A stud 19 secured to the lever 17 intermediate its ends supports a pawl 20 and carries a spring 21 for holding the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel so that the drive shaft 9 is rotated upon the recoil stroke of the lever'17.

Mounted in the casing above and parallel to the 'drive shaft 9 is a driven shaft 22 having a split end which passes through and retains a pointer member 23, the members being' connected by friction by having the split ends of the shaft 22 fit tightly within The fit between parts 22 and 23' is suflicient to prevent relative movement between the parts, due to the vibrations and shocks entailed in use on airplanes and on a gun, but is of such value as tobe easily overcome by the hand ofv the operator so that it may readily be reset. This form of friction drive connection is themost practical and effective one, and has been found to be extremely accurate and freefrom objections of the ordinary disk clutch. The

driven shaft 22 is provided with a Worm wheel gear '24 positioned-directly above the gear 12 on the drive shaft.

A spindle 25 mounted vertically in the casing is provided with Worm wheel 26 and Worm 2 respectively in mesh with the worm 12 and worm wheel 24.

A dial 28 on the rear face of the casing may be conveniently divided and numbered from 0V to "100 in a counter-clockwise direcrounds have been fired from the gun thehand of the pointer will coincide with the numeral 8 indicating to the gunner that eighty rounds remain in the magazine. On"

renewing a belt the pointer may readilybe vneeaees returned to zero by manipulating the knob total numberof rounds fired to determine the Should it be desired to keepa record of the i life of a gunj'or any of its parts there may readily be associated with the pointer a suitable indicator for registering the consumption of ammunitiolrin hundreds.

I claim 1. In a register, in combination, a casing, a

counting mechanism' in said se ing, a split shaft driven by said mechanism and an indie catorishaft coaxial withsaid first shaft and frictionally engaging the same to allow the resetting of the indicator, said shafts frictionall-y rection. V

2. In aregister in combination avreciproeating element, a counting mechanism operpressing each other in a radial diated thereby, a rotatable shaft driven by said mechanism, an indicator pointer, a pointer shaft supporting said pointer, said shaftsbeing mounted one within the other and both of said shafts being split so as to be in frictional engagement Withthe split portions of the inner shaft-pressing outwardly in a ra' dial'manner on the split portions of the outer shaft. y i

I In testimony whereof laffix my signature.

' RICHARD (J. GQUPLAND, 

